The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Chapter 9
CHAP. 9.
THirdly the Lord God for a memoriall of these supernaturall & heavenly things first revealed, & done on the seventh day,3 position affirmative and for a pledg to man of the eternall rest in heaven, did also by his word and commandment, appoint every seventh day to be vntounto man a day of rest from his owne works which concerne this worldly life, and to be kept an holy Sabbath, to the Lord his God, and this is the third point of Gods sanctifying the seventh day, and setting it apart for holy and heavenlie vse, and for holy worshippe, service, and religious duties which tend to begit and increase holinesse in men, and so to bring them to see and enjoy God in the eternall rest of glorie. This point because it is of greatest weight and moment, & comprehends in it many of those things which are necessary to be laid open, & made knowne for the distinct and profittable understanding of the Lords holy weekly Sabbath, & the right obseruation thereof, together with the duties which belong thereunto, & are therein required. Therefore I will doe my best endeavour to handle this point more fully, & to laie open distinctly the speciall things therein contained, and that in this method & order.
First I will proue this maine point, to weet: That Gods blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day, did include the giving of a law & commandement for the keeping of an holy weekly Sabbath, & Gods giving of this commandement was a maine & speciall part of his sanctifying of it.
Secondly I will enquire & search out the nature of that law & commandement, & how farre, & in what manner it bindes Adam, and all his posteritie.
Thirdlie, because everie law which God gives to man, doth impose a dutie upon man, and bindes man to the performance of it, therefore the uerie words of the text binds me to handlle at large, mans dutie which this commandement of God, & this word by which hee did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day, doth impose upon Adam & all his posteritie, even their sanctifying & keeping holy the Sabbath day.
For the proofe of the maine point, we hauehave three notable argumēts: First we hauehave the plaine testimony of God himselfe Exod. 16.28. where he cals this his blessing & sanctifying of the seventh day, by the maine of a commandement & law. & tels the Isralites that they not keeping of an holy rest; but going out togather Manna on the seventh day, did refuse to keepe his commandements and lawes, that is his commandements and lawes which he had given from the beginning in his blessing and the sanctifying of the seventh day; For of other speciall lawes and commandements given beefore that time concerning the Sabbath there is no mention at all in Scripture, neither did God giuegive any besides that from the beginning, untill hee spake unto them afterward from mount Sinah, and in the fourth Commandement called upon them to remember the Law of old, giuen for keeping holy the Sabbath, and renewed it againe to them.
Secondly, In all the Law of God and in all the Scriptures wee never read of any thing truly hallowed, sanctified and set apart for holy vse but by speciall Commandement of God, and by the direction of his word: the first thing which is said to bee sanctified after the seventh daie, is the first borne of Israell Exod 13.2. and this was by Gods speciall commandement, and therefore hee saith that he hallowed them On that day which he smote the first borne of Egypt, Num. 3.13. The next sanctified mentioned in Scripture is that of the people of Israell when they were to come into the sight and presence of Gods Majestie at mount Sina Exod. 19.10. and that was by Gods direction and commandement as is there testified in expresse words.
The third sanctification mentioned in the Scriptures, is that of the Sanctuary, and the Altar and all the holy Uessels and implements therof. And Aaron and his sonnes the Priests with all their robes and vestments, also the sacrifices and all other holy things of the Tabernacle, & they all were sanctified by the speciall commandement of God, and by direction of his word as Moses in the law testifies in Exodus 40. & divers other places.
Soe the temple in Ierusalem and all the Holie things which are consecrated and dedicated to the service of God by Solomon, are said to be hallowed and sanctified by God 1 King 9.3: and 2 Cron. 7.17. that is by Gods speciall commandement & direction.
And Moses his dedication of all things in the law, is said to bee by bloud and that by precepts spoken to the people according to Gods law Heb. 9. vers. 19.22. And every creature of God is said to be sanctified to the use of the Saints by the word of God and by prayer 1 Tim. 4.5.
Now if in all Gods word everie thing is said to bee sanctified, by the word and speciall Commandement of God: And wheresoever in all the Scriptures God is said to sanctifie any thing, and to seperate it for holy Use: The word (Sanctifie) doth necessarilye implie a Commandement, and speciall law of God given for the seperating of it.
It were against all reason and common sence to deny heere in this text the wordes (Blesse and sanctifie) doe necessarilie alsoe implie that God gaue a speciall commandement and law for the keepeing of his holie weekelie Sabbath an holy rest unto him the Lord our God.
Thirdly, whatsoever is sanctified by God and so dedicated to holy vse, that it is not in the power of any creature to alter and chaunge and turne it to another use, without sinne and transgression against God, that is certainlie established by a spirituall law of God, for where there is no law there is no transgression. Now after that God had sanctified the seventh daie, & apointed it to be the rest of the holie Sabbath. It was a sinne and transgression not to keepe it, or to chaunge and alter it to common vse, yea it was transgression against Gods commandements as appeares in the place before mentioned Exod. 16.23.28. Therfore Gods sanctifying the Sabbath was vndoubtedlie by giving of a commandement for the due keeping and observing of it.
Objection.But from this point thus proved, there ariseth an objection, the answering and removing whereof seemes to a matter of some moment. For this being granted, that God in sanctifying the seventh day immediatlie after the ending of the creation, did giuegive a speciall law for the observation of the seventh day of every weeke as an holy Sabbath: And if once consecrared by Gods law to holie use, may in no case be turned to common and profane vse, and whosoever doth chaunge it, sinneth most greeviousl…e, as appeares Exod. 30.32. & Num. 16.38. and also by the destruct…on of K…ng Belsh…zz…r for turning the hallowed Vessels of the Temple of Ierusalem to common and profane vse, Dan. 5. It will here upon follow, that Adams posterity in all ages are bound to keepe the weekely Sabbath on the seventh day, and no creature may chaunge it to another daie without grieuous sinne. And the Christian Churches which hauehave chaunged the Sabbath to the first day of the weeke; & hauehave made the seventh daie a common daie wherein they doe the workes of their private calling & their worldlie businesse; hauehave transgressed Gods law in so doing. Neither hauehave they any warrant or ground from this first institution, or the fourth commandement (which the Sabbath of the Seventh daie,) to keepe their weekely Sabbath on the Lords day which is the first of the weeke.
For the satisfying of this obj…ction, and clearing of this doubt, divers things may be answered.Answer. First that in the most strict commandement of God by which he binds men to the keeping of holy assemblies, and publick solemnities for the performance of religious duties, worshippe, and service, to his majesties memorable of his extraordinary blessings and benefits, though the solemne duties be limmited to some certaine and fit daies & those particular duties be named in the law. Yet if the substance of the Commandement be kept, that is; the holy solemnitie observed and the duties, worship, and service be performed, in all full and ample manner as the law requires, though the particular daies of the month, yeare, and weeke be chaunged vponupon good reason and for weighty consideration; The Lord doth dispence with alteration of that circumstance to another day and time, which appeares by good reason, and for just causes to bee more convenient, and doth allow and accept that for the right performance of his law. This is manifest by a plain instance and example given by God himselfe.
For the law of the passover which God gave to Israel did command them to keepe that feast in their generations, vponupon the fourteene day of the first month, and that under paine of being cut off. Exod. 12.14.18. & Levit. 23.5. And yet upon just occasion, such as Gods law approves either of uncleannesse of absence from home vponupon a farre jouney, it was lawfull to chaunge the particular time, and to keepe the passover, on another day more convenient, even on the fourteenth day, of the second monethmonth, Num. 9.11. And soe Hezekiah and all the people of Israell and Iudah kept it and chaunged the day 2 Cron. 30. And hereby the Lord himselfe teacheth us, that the Lawes which command holie solemnities and bind all his people in their generations to the due observation of them on certaine set daies, such as the law of the weekly Sabbath, & the yearly Passover, may stand in force and bee dulie observed, though the particular daie of the weeke be chaunged vponupon such grounds, as Gods law approveth and for such causes and reasons, as make that other day more fit, and excellent for the solemnitie, then that particular day of the weeke, or of the monethmonth which is named in the law.
Secondly, If any object that the law of the passover was ceremoniall,Object. 2. and therefore might admit of some chaunges, but it cannot be so in the law of the Sabbath if it be morall and perpetuall, binding all man kinde to the worlds end.
To this I answere,Answer. that for the time and season wherein ceremoniall lawes are in force they are equall (in their obligation and binding of the persons commanded) to lawes morall and perpetuall, and therefore the argument and answer is good and firme, and cannot with any good reason be rejected and denied.
Thirdly, divers positive lawes which are morall and perpetuall and bind Adam, and all his posterity, in all their generations, though they be firme and immutable in themselves & in their obligation: yet because the Duties of obedience which they impose vponupon men, and the men up on whom the duties are imposed, are in their state, and condition mutable and chaungable, And the chaunges and alterations of the things commanded in times, places, and other relations and respects, do not at all chaunge the law, nor proue it ceremoniall, and chaungable. As for example, Gods commandement and law given to Israell, was that they should louelove him the Lord their God, and serue him with such worship as is agreable to his word. This law bindes them and all Gods people in all generations unchaungable: Jt bound all such as lived in the old Testament to serve God with sacrifices, and burnt offerings, and to worship him with their first fruits, and sweet odoures and perfumes of incense, and that in the place which he did chuse out of all the tribes of Israell. And it bindes vsus still who liue under the new Testament: to louelove God, and to serue him. But with a spirituall woshippe and seruice, such as is most agreable to the word of the Gospell, as Saint Paul shewes Rom. 12.…. and our sacrifices are not of bruite beasts, but our owne bodies deuoted to the obedience of Christ, and sacrifices of thankes and praise which are the calfes of our lipps Heb. 13.15. for now men are not by the lavv bound to worship God In Ierusalem, nor in the mountaine of Samaria. but in every place to lift up pu…e hands and hearts to God, and to worshippe him in spirit and in truth, Iohn 4.21. And to this worshipp the same law doth as strictlie binde us, as it did the fathers to their bod…ly sacrafices in Ierusalem, though the seruice in divers particulars is chaunged, yet the law is perpetual and st…nds firme and immutable, and bindes all Gods people in al their generations.
Soe likewise from the first promise of Christ, a redeemer to mankinde, Adam and all his posterity are bound to beleeve in Christ, and to seeke, expect, and hope for salvation, and life only in him the promised seede of the woman, that is in him made man, and mans mediatour And the law of beleeuing in Christ is perpetuall firme, and vnch…ungable.
And yet the dutie which he requires is changeable, and is chaunged, now under the Gospel from that which is under the law, in circumstance, for the faithfull in the old Testament were bound to except and wait for Christ and to beleeve in him to come, but we under the Gospel confesse Christ and beleeue in that Christ Iesus which is come in the flesh. …nd whosoever confesseth not Christ which is come, but beleevs Christ to come he is lead by the spirit of Antichrist, 1 Joh. 4.3.
And euen thus the case stands with the law of the Sabbath, which God gaue in the beginning when he sanctified the seuenth day, for by that law he bound Adam and all his posterity to obserue and keepe an holy weekly Sabbath, and that one the particular day of the week which is the day most blessed with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke, and wherein the created worke of the world comes to greatest perfection, and that is brought into actuall being where God especiallie resteth, and wherewith he is chiefly satisfied & delighted.
This is the summe and substance of the law which equallie bindes all Gods people perpetually to the worlds end. This law, bound the fathers to keepe holy the seventh day, and last day of the weeke, in the old Testament, because that was the day most blessed with the greatest blessing as yet reuealed in the world, that is the promise of Christ, & his actuall undertaking & beginning to be mans mediatour, by which promise of the redeemer & bringing in of supernaturall grace, which is spirituall & immutable, the mutable worke of the creation was perfected, & in which mediatō of Christ, God rested & took such delight, that he would not go about to uphold the world by way of creation, but cōmitted the reparation of the world to Christ the mediatour. But now under the go…pel since the ful exhibition of Christ, a perfect actual redeemer, & the perfecting of the work of redemption on the first day of the week, in Christ his resurrectiō, that first day of the seuenth, which is the seventh in the weekly revolution, if we count the daies begin̄ing with the daie next following, is now the day most blessed, & wherin the created world is after a better manner, & in an higher degree perfected, & God findes that actually performed wherin he resteth & wherwith he is fully satisfied. And therfore the same perpetuall law of the Sabbath bindes us to keepe this day for our weekly Sabbath, & that not with such service as was, holy under the law, that double bodily sacrifices, nor with assemblies appointed for preaching, reading & hearing of the law, & the promises of a redeemer to come, & for seeking salvation & blessings in Messiah promised & yet not come. But with spirituall worship & faithfull praier & invocation in the name of Christ exhibited, & already exalted, & with reading, preaching, & hearing of the gospel, which declareth Christ Iesus already come in the flesh. And thus I hope I hauehave fully answered the objection, & made it manifest, the christian churches in chaunging the day of their weekly Sabbath, & their forme & manner of worship, hauehave not made void, but established the law of the Sabbath, which God gaue in the beginning.
and these chaunges doe in no case proue the law to be ceremoniall onelyonly and mutable, neither doth the moralitie and perpetuity of the law require that every circumstance of the Sabbath, and every particular Sabbath duty, should at all times remain the same perpetual & unchangable